One person said that after four months of using the iPhone 17 Pro, he thought he had fully explored its exceptional camera capabilities, especially its superior low-light performance. However, by pure chance, he discovered a hidden shooting mode that not only changed his perception of the camera but also elevated its value to a whole new level.
Our friend says: I am talking about “Night Mode Max” or extreme night mode; the option that hides in the folds of the settings, waiting for the moment when you decide to shoot in conditions where there is almost no light.
I wasn't aware of this option when I first got my hands on the iPhone 17 Pro, but it's undoubtedly one of the secrets of iOS 26 that every photography enthusiast should know. What sets Night Mode Max apart is its ability to extend exposure time to a full 30 seconds, allowing the camera sensor to capture every available bit of light. The result? Sharper images and stunning illumination that defies the darkness.
However, to unlock this feature, there are specific requirements that must be met. Here's your complete guide to using Night Mode Max and transforming your night photography into professional-quality work.
How do I activate Night Mode Max?
Reaching this point is easier than you might imagine, and there are two ways to do it:
Method 1Swipe up from the navigation bar at the bottom of the camera interface to bring up the options menu, then tap the “Night Mode” icon and keep changing until the activation indicator appears.
The second methodThe fastest option is to press and hold the night mode icon that appears automatically in the top corner, then select the “Max” option.
Advice:
Once the feature is activated, your phone must remain stationary. In normal Night Mode, the camera typically needs 3 seconds to manually capture a photo, but with Night Mode Max, this can extend to 30 seconds. You'll notice that the exposure time varies depending on the scene, so wait a few seconds for the timer to stabilize. Here, I highly recommend using a tripod or propping your phone against a stable surface to ensure the maximum possible exposure time is achieved.
Longer exposure... incredible clarity
I put this mode to the test in my backyard. I took a series of photos in normal night mode.
Then I tried again using “Night Mode Max”. The result was immediate and impressive; long exposure time is not just a number, but a tool for drastically improving image clarity.
In one photo I took of a tree with two cars behind it, the scene was so dark to the naked eye that the cars' colors were impossible to distinguish. But thanks to Night Mode Max, light flooded the image as if I had turned on giant spotlights, making the colors clear and the scene bright.
In macro or close-up shots of the trees, this position revealed details of the bark and tissues that appeared dull or blurry in normal mode, giving the image amazing depth and realism.
So it became like this:
A magical touch in the sky
What's truly fascinating is the "whimsical" effect this mode creates on the sky. Due to the 30-second exposure, the clouds appear with a wispy, flowing look, lending the image a captivatingly dramatic and artistic quality. I expect this effect would also be stunning when photographing flowing water in the dark, where waterfalls and streams would appear with a soft, velvety sheen. The result was as follows:
Ultrawide camera surprise
The magic of “Night Mode Max” is not limited to the main camera, but extends to the ultra-wide camera as well, and the results were amazing by all standards.
In my test photos, the details in the foreground appeared blurry and unclear under normal conditions.
But once "Max" was activated, everything appeared with perfect clarity, even the texture of the wooden fence became clearly visible. Zooming in revealed the fine details of the branches and tree bark, making them even more distinct and prominent.
This user concludes his report by saying: “While I still crave more manual controls on the iPhone camera, this mode is the closest thing to a professional-level long exposure experience on top Android phones. Currently, Night Mode Max excels at capturing landscapes and still objects, and I’m very excited to explore its capabilities on my upcoming travels.”
If you own this phone, don't leave this mode locked away in the settings... Unlock it today and watch your night transform into a work of art!
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